Chapter 27.1

Song Wei’s body stiffened.

He held her shoulders, gently brushing his lips against hers. From her upper lip to her lower lip, he lingered briefly before releasing slightly. Their gazes met, and the temperature around them seemed to skyrocket.

Receiving no sign of rejection, he cupped her face with both hands and kissed her again. His movements were tender and exploratory, guiding her to part her lips. His tongue ventured inside, and the sweet taste of strawberries spread, filling every sense.

The motion-activated lights in the hallway went off after prolonged stillness, plunging them into darkness. With their vision gone, touch and sound became sharper, and the soft, intimate sound of kissing filled the silence, making hearts race.

The strange sensations awakened by the kiss coursed through her body. Her limbs weakened, and just as her legs nearly gave out, his arm encircled her waist, drawing her into a warm embrace.

Their hearts pressed together, beats in sync. She could hear his heavy breathing, an uncontrollable rhythm fueling the charged atmosphere around them.

Lost in the unfamiliar feelings that gripped her body, Song Wei was overwhelmed by the pleasure of their entwined lips and tongues, her rationality slipping away in the darkness.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, using her last shred of clarity to respond to his kiss.

The elevator stopped on the 10th floor again, and the motion-activated lights flickered on. Their neighbor had returned home.

He finally broke the kiss, pulling her into his arms to shield her from view.

The neighbor entered their apartment.

The interrupted moment of intimacy wrapped around them again, creating an unmistakable tension.

Song Wei buried her face in his chest, her flushed cheeks too embarrassed to show.

She felt weightless now. This was their first kiss, and though it happened unexpectedly, it was far more magical than she had imagined. Maybe it was the strawberry-flavored candy—the sweetness still lingered in her mouth.

She called his name, “Chen Jubai.”

“Hmm.”

“So sweet.”

“Hmm.”

She called again, “Chen Jubai…”

“Hmm.”

Song Wei whispered, “Are you still mad?”

“No.”

She smiled softly, “Oh, you were jealous.”

Chen Jubai admitted straightforwardly, “Yes.”

Jealous—how could he not react when others blatantly coveted what was his?

“When will you message him?”

Song Wei chuckled quietly. “Now?”

“Sure.”

“Then let me go first.” He was holding her far too tightly.

Chen Jubai released her, lowering his head to see the faint blush on her face. His Adam’s apple bobbed subtly.

Song Wei composed a message in front of him, showed it for his approval, and then pressed send.

“All done?” she asked, tilting her head up. Her eyes, still shimmering from their kiss, were especially captivating.

Her voice was soft, and the motion-activated lights dimmed again. In the faint moonlight, he kissed her once more. This time, the tenderness gave way to desire, no longer restrained.

It was unclear how much time had passed before they entered their apartment. Nervous that someone might still be home, Song Wei kept her head down and quickly retreated to the bedroom.

But as soon as she opened the door, she froze.

How were they supposed to sleep tonight?

They had kissed. The next step…

Uneasy, she showered and climbed into bed. Stroking Snowflake’s fur, she occasionally glanced toward the door.

What’s he doing out there? Why hasn’t he come in yet? Could he be avoiding me?

About ten minutes later, he entered, gathered his clothes, and went to shower. After drying his hair and tidying up, it was another thirty minutes before he lay down beside her.

Song Wei, wide awake, watched him.

He pulled the blanket over himself, looking like he was ready to turn off the lights. Song Wei opened her mouth. “You’re going to sleep?”

Chen Jubai turned to look at her. “Go to sleep.”

He could guess what she was thinking, but her parents were still in the apartment, and there were no preparations like condoms. It wasn’t the right time.

There was no rush. They could wait.

Song Wei felt a twinge of disappointment, though she didn’t want to show it too obviously. Hugging her teddy bear, she murmured, “Alright, goodnight then.”

But neither of them could sleep. They lay on their backs, staring at the ceiling.

After a while, he spoke in a low voice. “Do you want to put the teddy bear on the floor?”

Having shared a bed with her long enough, Chen Jubai already knew the importance of the aging plush bear to her. She always slept with it in her arms, or rather, she needed to hold onto something while sleeping. If the bear slipped from her grasp, she would unconsciously search for something else—usually him—within half an hour.

But she was unaware of this habit and always assumed she had slept soundly through the night.

When they were less familiar, Chen Jubai had avoided embarrassing her by waking up earlier than she did. Now… could he finally address it openly?

He glanced at the bear. “It takes up a lot of space.”

But she rejected his suggestion. “No, I need to hold it. It’s more important than my life.”

“…”

Song Wei explained, “Do you know what an ‘abebe’ is?”

“No.”

“In simple terms, it’s something like a toy or blanket that’s been with you since childhood. This bear has been with me since I was born, so it’s really meaningful to me. When I hold it, I can smell its scent, and it helps me sleep better.”

Chen Jubai asked, “You like its scent?”

“Maybe, but that’s just part of it,” Song Wei said, tilting her head in thought. “It’s more like a source of comfort—or a secret haven. When I hold it, I feel relaxed and carefree, like I’m back in my childhood.”

Chen Jubai fell silent, pondering. Finally, he nodded. “I have one too.”

Surprised, Song Wei’s curiosity was piqued. “What is it?”

“A scent.”

“Wow, that’s fancy.”

Chen Jubai smiled faintly, his gaze fixed on her. “Yes, it’s quite special.”

“What kind of scent?”

“It’s hard to describe precisely.” He had searched for this scent for years but never found it. The base note was a fresh and elegant green tea aroma, pure and clean, with an overall gentle and refined feeling. The aftertaste carried a faint sweetness, a hint of woody notes, and a touch of smoky undertone.

“Do you usually wear perfume?” he asked.

“Nope.”

“Do you use any incense?”

“No, you’ve lived with me for so long and haven’t noticed?”

He had indeed noticed—she didn’t use perfume or incense. Even her body wash had the most neutral and fleeting scent. This only deepened his bewilderment.

He closed his eyes and inhaled. Yet, “it” undeniably existed.

From the moment he moved into this bedroom to every interaction with her, he felt what she described as the sense of security, comfort, and relaxation of holding her “Abebe.”

After chatting for a while, Song Wei relaxed. Hugging her stuffed bear, she returned to her side of the bed. “Let’s sleep. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

But the next morning, when Song Wei opened her eyes, she was startled to find the man who was usually up by this time still beside her. In an instant, she gasped, pulled back, and scrambled out of his embrace.

Chen Jubai was woken by her flustered, incoherent shouting. “I—you—how did we—why—?”

The man calmly pulled her back into his arms, kissed her forehead, and spoke with a husky morning voice. “Good morning.”

The panicking woman instantly quieted, her tone softening involuntarily. “Good morning…”

The morning air was cool, making his embrace especially welcome. Song Wei leaned closer but remained confused. “We…”

“Your Abebe fell under the bed.”

Her stuffed bear spent more time on the floor than in bed, and she immediately realized what had happened. Looking up in shock, she asked, “Was this the first time you held me?”

He was honest. “No.”

Song Wei felt both annoyed and embarrassed. “Chen Jubai!”

Chen Jubai chuckled and tightened his hold on the woman trying to escape. In her ear, he murmured, “From now on, I’ll be your Abebe.”

The low, rich timbre of his morning voice, paired with the warm breath against her ear, left Song Wei feeling lightheaded, almost intoxicated.

“Okay?” he asked.

She bit her lip, hesitated, and nodded. “Okay.”

…

It was Saturday. Andy and the others had a flight in the afternoon, so Song Wei planned to spend the morning with them.

Seeing He Ming again was awkward for both of them. He replied to the message last night, expressing his apology and sending his blessings, but Song Wei only saw it in the morning.

Adjusting her mood, she greeted him first. After a brief exchange, He Ming admitted, “I came too late.”

Song Wei didn’t know how to respond. She used to think that love didn’t depend on timing—either you liked someone, or you didn’t. But now, she realized that Chen Jubai had appeared at the perfect time. Any earlier or later, and he might not have been the one.

She smiled. “It’s fate. You’ll find yours someday.”

He Ming replied, “I hope so.”

In the morning, they wandered the city briefly, had lunch together, and then she saw them off, completing her duty.

On her way home, Song Wei paused in front of a convenience store. After some thought, she went in and bought something.

After last night, their relationship had subtly shifted, as if an invisible wall between them had been broken. Everything else now seemed unspoken but understood.

It was the end of the month, and her period was due in a couple of days. While it was her safe period now, if they were going to be intimate, precautions were necessary.

When she got home, however, the man who was supposed to be there wasn’t. Yang Yingqiu said he had gone to work overtime.

Fine. Song Wei pursed her lips and placed the box of condoms in the bedside drawer.

Yang Yingqiu wasn’t busy today and was making dumplings. After washing her hands, Song Wei joined in. Her dumpling-making skills were mediocre at best. After two dumplings, Yang Yingqiu began to scold her. “What kind of 20-something-year-old can’t even cook?”

Song Wei, in a good mood, joked, “Why would I need to cook? Dad and Chen Jubai can do it.”

Yang Yingqiu laughed. “Your dad’s crafty. The moment his son-in-law walked in the door, he started teaching him to cook.”

“That’s because Dad loves me.”

“Right, right, your dad loves you most.”

After a while, Yang Yingqiu asked, “When are you two moving out?”

It was the second time she’d mentioned it. This time, Song Wei thought for a few seconds longer. “I’ll ask him.”

She hadn’t thought about it before, finding it comfortable to live with her parents. But after last night, she realized it might be a bit inconvenient. Last night, they had to sneak around in the hallway to kiss. The house wasn’t very soundproof either…

Seeing her daughter’s blushing cheeks, Yang Yingqiu felt a pang of sentimentality. In the blink of an eye, the little girl who used to babble in a crib now had a family of her own.

“You two are busy with work, so if you move out, you might want to hire a housekeeper to cook and clean,” Yang Yingqiu suggested.

“Okay, we’ll see.”

“And don’t just focus on work. Spend more time together and nurture your relationship.”

“Got it.”

“Have you thought about kids yet?”

Song Wei froze, her face heating up further. “We just got married…”

“Once you’re married, it’s something to consider. Decide whether you want kids and when. Plan it out. If you don’t want them now, be careful and take precautions. Don’t be careless, or you’ll end up hurting your own body.”

“I know, I know.” Song Wei, embarrassed, tried to change the subject. “I’m thirsty.”

“Don’t drink anything cold,” Yang Yingqiu reminded her as she headed toward the fridge.